


Breathe In Breathe Out

by paintedbluerose



Series: Whumptober [13]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Firelord Zuko (Avatar), Gen, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), Poison, Whump, Whumptober, Whumptober 2020, Zuko (Avatar) whump, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:15:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27016381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paintedbluerose/pseuds/paintedbluerose
Summary: Zuko wants a night out to relax from being Firelord. He just hopes it’s not the last night he’ll have.Day 13 Whumptober theme: Breathe In, Breathe OutPrompts: delayed drowning, chemical pneumonia, oxygen mask
Relationships: Suki & Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Whumptober [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1950010
Comments: 8
Kudos: 104





	Breathe In Breathe Out

**Author's Note:**

> Look, I’m not gonna lie and say this is awesome or I knew what was going on because I don’t. I tried to go with chemical pneumonia and apparently it can affect different people different ways. And it’s like normal pneumonia but caused by a chemical. So I made Zuko be drugged/poison and can’t breathe. It’s probably full of medical inaccuracies but whatever.

Zuko was tired. No, he was exhausted. Running a nation after a hundred years of war and trying to negotiate peace with other nations that hated his nation and him was tiring. Sure, he had some help with his friends and the Avatar, but they weren’t the ones in each and every meeting being yelled at for who they were just because they were born into the Fire Nation. They weren’t the ones with several assassination attempts from people who wanted the war to continue or who hated the Fire Nation or whatever else they claimed. 

So yeah, Zuko was exhausted.

He wanted a night off for a change. A night where he didn’t have to be the Firelord. He decided to do something that might have been stupid. He decided to sneak out by himself without telling anyone.

It was going fine for most of the night. He was dressed casual and had a hood that covered his face. He managed to go to a random bar and drink without anyone suspect a thing. It was great!

After the second drink, Zuko decided to call it a night. He wasn’t drunk and he didn’t want to become drunk. Nor did he want to nurse a horrible hangover in the morning when they were supposed to discuss grain or rice or some sort of produce. No matter what it was, it would not be fun with an alcohol-induced headache. He had some fun. Now he could leave.

As he was leaving, he couldn’t stop the cough building in his chest from exploding. He thought it was a simple cough except he couldn’t stop coughing. It wrapped around his lungs, dragging him down like an anchor. He was soon using the buildings to help him walk or stand as the coughing was taking everything out of him.

When the coughing subsided a little bit he was left with another problem. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t get the air in his lungs fast enough.

He tried not to panic. He told himself not to panic. It would be okay.

Except it wasn’t. He snuck out without telling anyone where he was. Which meant no one would know where he was. Which meant he was alone. Unable to breathe. Which most likely meant he would die alone. Or he would be captured and who knows what else would happen.

No. He was not going to die here in the streets alone. He was going to make it back to the Palace. Then he could die.

It was a struggle. He stopped every step he took to breathe or cough or both. It took five times as long to get back to the Palace. The more he walked, the harder it was to breathe.

He could see the Palace gates, see the guards and his spirits lifted. He was almost there. He was going to make it.

He took another step and a wave of dizziness came over him. Black dots filled his vision. He couldn’t seem to breathe anymore. He wasn’t going to make it.

~~~~

Zuko felt the sun hit his face, warming his body. He felt the softness of a bed. Did he make it back to his room? Opening his eyes, he risked a look around to find he was in his room. With Suki staring at him. Maybe death was better...

“You’re an idiot Zuko.”

“I don’t think you’re allowed to call the Firelord an idiot.”

“When they sneak out, by _themselves_ , are drugged and almost _die_ , I’m allowed to call them whatever I want.” Suki glared at him. “Do you have any idea how lucky you are to be sitting there right now?”

“Uh...very lucky..?”

“The poison was way too strong. If it was normal, you wouldn’t have had any problems until you got back. It would have killed you in your sleep had it been normal. If Aang was not here, using his airbending to help you breathe, you would have died. You almost did die! I’m supposed to protect you Zuko! How am I going to do that when you do stupid stuff like this?!”

“I’m sorry. I just wanted to get away, not have to deal with everything for a little.”

“Fine. Next time I come with you.”

“Suki, the point was for me to go by myself.”

“I will go with you Zuko or I will tell your Uncle and we’re make it so you will always have someone with you. At all times. _All times_.”

He did not want to know what she would do. She was a bit scary. Her and Uncle together were extremely scary. Maybe it would have been better for the poison to get him. “Okay. I’ll let you know next time I want to get out.”

“Good.” She nodded. “By the way, your Uncle is here. I told him what happened. He, Toph, and Aang went to find the person responsible. That’s taken care of at least. Your Uncle thinks you’re stupid too by the way.”

“Suki! I thought you weren’t going to tell my Uncle!”

“I lied.” 


End file.
